A 19-year-old man was killed in Phoenix while riding as a passenger on December 13th. Another vehicle driven by a suspected drunken driver slammed into the car containing the victim and caused the car to flip over and subsequently crash into a brick wall.
The victim’s family is understandably distraught by what occurred. His mother stated that no excuse exists for drinking and then driving. “You made a choice to do this and you killed somebody’s baby,” she was quoted as saying.
The individual said to be responsible for this accident is now is facing second-degree murder charges. We will have to wait and see as to what the outcome of this matter is. However, criminal charges will not necessarily help out victims and family members when such a car accident occurs.
Sadly, many such accidents involve repeat DUI offenders who may not have any liability insurance. Also, those offenders are often facing jail time and might not have the financial assets to provide compensation for victims or their family members. There thus may be a variety of questions as to which party should be responsible for helping the victims out.
It is because these cases can be so complicated that victims may wish to speak to experienced personal injury attorneys who understand the ins-and-outs of this area of law. These attorneys can investigate the accident, find out what has occurred and negotiate a settlement with negligent parties and/or insurance companies. If necessary, these attorneys can represent victims in court.
Source: My Fox Phoenix, “Mother of drunk driving victim warns drivers ahead of NYE,” Jessica Flores, Dec. 30, 2013